Rocco S. Passionino

Experience
VisionArt Design and Animation, Santa Monica, CA 90404 
June 1999 to Present
Digital Effects Supervisor
Dungeons & Dragons: CG Supervisor
Oversaw the 2D and 3D work created by VisionArt's team of 35 artists for the live action feature film Dungeons and Dragons. Of the 68 shots created for the film at least 90 percent were entirely CG environments.  Assisted in creating both the Red and Gold dragons as well as the Imp and Beholder digital character for the film.  Supervisor work consisted of art direction, skeletal setup, animation and compositing of the shots along with team assignments, creating schedules, deadlines and balancing budget resources.

Little Nicky: Digital Effects Supervisor
Oversaw the practical as well as 2D and 3D work created by VisionArt's team of 35 artists for the live action Adam Sandler feature film.  Responsible for over 95 shots consisting of simple multi-layer composites, live action digital photo real human characters (Adam head spin, Cassius into flask), full CG characters (Adrian bat), practical effects augmentation and digital special effects shots. Supervisor work consisted of art direction, animation and compositing of the shots along with team assignments, creating schedules, deadlines and balancing budget resources.

Digital Artist on Anna And The King, House On Haunted Hill, The Omega Code and LA Times Motion Capture
 
Centropolis Effects, LLC, Culver City, CA, 90232
November 1997 to June 1999
Digital Artist FX Lead
Godzilla: Digital Effects Team
Responsible for creating several different effects for interaction of CG Godzilla with Live Action BG plates.  Effects consisted of Interactive Rain, Plate Rain, Debris, Cracking Pavement and destruction of Brooklyn Bridge from film finale.  Coordinated elements from Effects team and 2D Compositing team.  Managed priorities of effects work load for team.

Digital Artist on The Faculty, Storm of the Century, The Thirteenth Floor, Deterrence and End of Days.
 
Digital Domain, Venice, CA 90291
November 1994 to November 1997
Digital Artist
Titanic: Character Integration Breaking Sequence Lead
Character Integration Breaking Sequence Lead of Motion Captured and Roto-captured 3D Characters. Effects animator for interactive water of swimming characters. Color and Lighting for characters. Compositing of several breaking sequence shots.

The Fifth Element: Leeloo Escape Sequence and Cab Chase Sequence
Part of the Research and Development team for Pre visualization of Leeloo Escape and Cab Chase Sequences. Previs Tasks consisted of creating camera moves for the stage shoot; shot layout of hero car, traffic and buildings; animation of hero car and traffic. Production tasks consisted of procedural traffic animation; effects animation for traffic; color and lighting for traffic; and compositing.

General Cinemas: Coming Attractions and Feature Presentations
Character Design of both lead characters, Popcorn "Bob" and Pepsi "Sue", plus design of Candy Band and various audience members. Color and Lighting and Composting of Coming Attractions sequence and Live Action Feature Presentations shots.

Terminator 2: 3D: Mini-Hunter/Killer Team
Match-move/3D Camera Plate Tracking of Above and below ground garage shot, Mini-Hunter Killer Animation, Effects Animation, Color and Lighting, Compositing.

Technical Assistant for Apollo 13, Interview with a Vampire and Strange Days.

Software:  Houdini, Maya, Prisms, Renderman, Chalice, Shake, Softimage, Alias, Lightwave, Flint/Flame/Inferno

Education
State University of New York at Binghamton, Watson School of Engineering
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, December 1991

References available upon request.